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MR.  JUDSON’S  LETTER. 

TO  THE 

'FEMALE  MEMBERS 

Of  Christian  Churches  in  the  United  States  of  America. 


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MR.  JUDSOIV’S  r^ETTER. 

To  the  Female  Members  of  Christian  Churches  in  the  Uni~ 
ted  States  of  ^Jimerica. 

Dear  Sisters  in  Christ, — Excuse  my  publicly  ad- 
dressing you.  The  necessity  of  the  case  is  my  only 
apology.  Whether  you  will  consider  it  a sufficient  apo- 
logy for  the  sentiments  of  this  letter,  unfashionable,  I 
confess,  and  perhaps  unpalatable,  I know  not.  We  are 
sometimes  obliged  to  encounter  the  hazard  of  offending 
those,  whom  of  all  others  we  desire  to  please.  Let  me 
throw  myself  at  once  on  your  mercy,  dear  sisters,  allied 
by  national  consanguinity,  professors  of  the  same  holy 
religion,  fellow  pilgrims  to  the  same  happy  world. 
Pleading  these  endearing  ties,  let  me  beg  you  to  regard  me 
as  a brother,  and  to  listen  with  candor  and  forbearance 
to  my  honest  tale. 

In  raising  up  a Church  of  Christ  in  this  heathen  land, 
and  in  laboring  to  elevate  the  minds  of  the  female  con- 
verts to  the  standard  of  the  gospel,  we  have  always 
found  one  chief  obstacle  in  that  principle  of  vanity,  that 
love  of  dress  and  display  (I  beg  you  will  bear  with  me,) 
which  has,  in  every  age  and  in  all  countries,  been  a 
ruling  passion  of  the  fair  sex,  as  the  love  of  riches, 
power  and  lame,  has  characterized  the  other.  That  obsta- 
cle lately  became  more  formidable,  through  the  admis- 
sion of  two  or  three  fashionable  females  into  the  church, 
and  the  arrival  of  several  Missionary  sisters,  dressed  and 
adorned  in  that  manner,  which  is  too  prevalent  in  our 
beloved  native  land. — On  my  meeting  the  church,  after 
a year’s  absence,  I beheld  an  appalling  profusion  of 
ornaments,  and  saw  that  the  demon  of  vanity  was  lay- 
ing waste  the  female  department.  At  that  time  I had 
not  maturely  considered  the  subject,  and  did  not  feel 
sure  what  ground  I ought  to  take.  I apprehended  also, 
that  I should  be.  unsupported  and  perhaps  opposed  by 
some  of  my  coadjutors.  I confined  my  efforts,  therefore, 
to  private  exhortation,  and  with  but  little  effect.  Some 
of  the  ladies,  out  of  regard  to  their  pastor’s  feelings, 
took  off  their  necklaces  and  ear-ornaments,  before'  they 
entered  the  chapel,  tied  them  up  in  a corner  of  their 
handkerchiefs,  and  on  returning,  ^s  soon  as  they  were 
out  of  sight  of  the  Mission  house,  stopped  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  street  to  array  themselves  anew. 

In  the  mean  time,  I was  called  to  visit  the  Karens,  a 
wild  people,  several  days  journey  to  the  north  of  Maul- 
mein.  Little  did  I expect  there  to  encounter  the  same 


2 MR.  judson’s  letter. 

enemy,  in  those  “wiltls,  horrid  and  dark  with  o’ershad- 
owing  trees.”  But  I found  that  he  had  been  there  be- 
fore me,  and  reigned  with  a peculair  sway,  from 
time  immemorial.  On  one  Karen  woman,  I count- 
ed between  twelve  and  fifteen  necklaces  of  all  colours, 
sizes  and  materials.  Three  was  the  average.  Brass 
belts  above  the  aticles,  neat  braids  of  black  hair  tied  be- 
low the  knees,  rings  of  all  sorts  on  the  fingers,  bracelets 
on  the  wrists  and  arms,  long  instruments  of  some  metal, 
perforating  the  lower  part  of  the  ear,  by  an  immense 
aperture,  and  reaching  nearly  to  the  shoulders,  fanciful- 
ly constructed  bags,  inclosing  the  hair,  and  suspended 
from  the  back  part  of  the  head,  not  to  speak  of  the  orna- 
mental parts  of  their  clothing,  constituted  the  fashions 
and  the  ton  of  the  fair  Karenesses.  The  dress  of  the  female 
converts  was  not  essentially  different  from  that  of  their 
countrywomen.  I sav/  that  I was  brought  into  a situa- 
tion that  precluded  all  retreat, — that  I must  fight  or  die. 

For  a few  nights  I spent  some  sleepless  hours,  dis- 
tressed by  this  and  other  subjects,  which  will  always 
press  upon  the  heart  of  a Missionary,  in  a new  place.  I 
considered  the  spirit  of  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ.  I 
opened  to  1 Tim.  ii.  9,  and  read  those  words  bf  the  in- 
spired apostle;  “I  will  also  that  women  adorn  them- 
selves in  modest  apparel,  with  shamefacedness  and  so- 
briety, not  tvith  broiclered  hair,  or  gold,  or  pearls,  or  costly 
array.”  I asked  myself.  Can  I baptize  a Karen  woman 
in  her  present  attire  ? No.  Can  I administer  the 
Lord’s  Supper  to  one  of  the  baptized  in  that  attire  ? 
No.  Can  I refrain  from  enforcing  the  prohibition  of  the 
apostle?  Not  without  betraying  the  trust  I ha\e  re- 
ceived from  him.  Again,  I considered,  that  the  ques- 
tion concerned  not  the  Karens  only,  but  the  whole  Chris- 
tian world ; that  its  decision  would  itivolve  a train  of 
unknown  consequences,  that  a single  step  would  lead 
me  into  a long  and  perilous  way.  I considered  Maul- 
mein  and  the  other  stations  ; I considered  the  state  of 
the  public  mind  at  home.  But  '■^tvhat  is  that  to  thee9 
folloio  thou  me,”  was  the  continual  response,  and  weigh- 
ed more  than  all.  I renewedly  offered  myself  to  Christ, 
and  prayed  for  strength  to  go  forward  in  the  path  of 
duty,  come  life  or  death,  come  praise  or  reproach,  sup- 
ported or  deserted,  successful  or  defeated  in  the  ulti- 
mate issue. 

Soon  after  coming  to  this  conclusion,  a Karen  woman 
offered  herself  for  baptism.  After  the  usual  examina- 
tion, I inquired  whether  she  could  give  up  her  ornaments 


MR.  judson’s  letter.  3 

for  Chri.st?  It  was  an  unexpected  blow!  I explained 
the  spirit  of  the  gospel.  I appealed  to  her  own  con- 
sciousness of  vanity.  I read  her  the  apostle’s  prohibi- 
tion. She  looked  again  and  again  at  her  handsome 
necklace  (she  wore  but  one,)  and  then  with  an  air  of  mo- 
dest decision,  that  would  adorn,  beyond  all  outward  or- 
naments, any  of  my  sisters  whom  I have  the  honor  of 
addressing,  she  took  it  off,  saying,  / love  Christ  more 
than  this.  The  news  began  to  spread.  The  Christian 
women  made  but  little  hesitation.  A few  others  op- 
posed, but  the  work  went  on. 

At  length,  the  evil  which  I most  dreaded  came  upon 
me.  Some  of  the  Karen  men  had  been  to  Maulmein, 
and  seen  what  I wished  they  had  not. — And  one  day, 
when  we  were  discussing  the  subject  of  ornaments,  one 
of  the  Christians  came  forward  in  my  face,  and  declared 
that  at  Maulmein,  he  had  actually  seen  one  of  the 
great  female  teachers  wearing  a string  of  gold  beads 
around  her  neck  ! ! ! 

Lay  down  this  paper,  dear  sisters,  and  sympathize  a 
moment  with  your  fallen  Missionary.  Was  it  not  a 
hard  case?  Was  it  not  cruel  for  that  sister,  thus  to 
smite  down  to  the  dust  her  poor  brother,  who,  without 
that  blow,  was  hardly  able  to  keep  his  ground  ? But  she 
knew  it  not.  She  was  not  aware  of  the  mischief  she 
was  doing.  However,  though  cast  down,  I was  not  de- 
stroyed 5 though  sorely  bruised  and  wounded,  I endea- 
voured to  maintain  the  warfare  as  well  as  I could  5— after 
some  conflict,  the  enemy  fled  the  field,  and  when  I left 
those  parts,  the  female  converts  were,  generally  speak- 
ing, arrayed  in  modest  apparel. 

On  arriving  at  Maulmein,  and  partially  recovering 
from  a fever  which  I had  contracted  in  the  Karen  woods, 
the  first  thing  I did,  was  to  crawl  out  to  the  house  of 
the  patroness  of  the  gold  beads.  To  her  I related  my 
adventures, — to  her  commiseration  I commended  my 
grief.  With  what  ease  and  truth  too,  could  that  sister 
reply.  Notwithstanding  these  beads,  I dress  more  plain 
than  most  ministers’  wives  and  professors  of  religiop,  in 
in  our  native  land.  These  beads  are  the  only  ornament 
I wear ; they  Avere  given  me  when  quite  a child,  by  a 
dear  mother,  whom  I never  expect  to  see  again  (another 
hard  case  5)  and  she  enjoined  it  on  me  never  to  part  with 
them,  as  long  as  I lived,  but  to  wear  them  as  a memorial 
of  her  I O ye  Christian  mothers,  what  a lesson  you  have 
before  you.  Can  you,  dare  you  give  injunctions  to  your 
daughters,  directly  contrary  to  apostolic  commands? 


4 MR.  judson’s  letter. 

But  to  the  honor  of  my  sister,  be  it  recorded,  that  as 
soon  as  she  understood  the  merits  of  the  case,  and  the 
mischief  done  by  such  example,  off  went  the  gold  beads, 
and  she  gave  decisive  proof,  that  she  loved  Christ  more 
than  father  or  mother.  Her  example,  united  with  the 
efforts  of  the  rest  of  us  at  this  station,  is  beginning  to 
exercise  a redeeming  influence  in  the  female  depart- 
ment-of  the  church. 

But  notwithstanding  these  favourable  signs,  nothing, 
really  nothing  is  yet  done.  And  why  ? This  Mission 
and  all  others  must  necessarily  be  sustained  by  con- 
tinual supplies  of  Missionaries,  male  and  female,  from 
the  mother  country.  Your  sisters  atid  daughters  will 
continually  come  out,  to  take  the  place  of  those  who  are 
removed  by  death,  and  to  occupy  numberless  stations, 
still  unoccupied.  And  when  they  arrive,  they  will  be 
dressed  in  their  usual  way,  as  Christian  women  at  home 
are  dressed.  And  the  female  converts  will  run  around 
them,  and  gaze  upon  them,  with  the  most  prying  curio- 
sity, regarding  them  as  the  freshest  representations  of 
the  Christian  religion,  from  that  land  where  it  flourishes 
in  all  its  purity  and  glory.  And  when  they  see  the  gold 
and  jewels  pendent  from  theirears,  the  beads  and  chains 
encircling  their  necks,  the  finger  rings  set  with  diamonds 
and  rubies,  the  rich  variety  of  ornamental  head-dress ; 
“the  mantles  and  the  wimples  and  the  crisping  pins” 
(see  the  rest  in  Isaiah  3d  chap.,)  they  will  cast  a bitter, 
reproachful,  triumphant  glance  at  their  old  teachers,  and 
spring  -with  fresh  avidity,  to  re-purchase  and  resume  their 
long  neglected  elegancies  5 — the  cheering  news  will  fly 
up  the  Dah-gyaing,  the  Laing-bvvai  and  the  Sal-wen ; — 
the  Rarenesses  will  reload  their  necks  and  ears,  and 
arms,  and  ancles  ; — and  when  after  another  year’s  ab- 
sence I return  and  take  my  seat  I>efore  the  Burmese  or 
the  Karen  church,  I shall  behold  the  demon  of  vanity, 
enthroned  in  the  centre  of  the  assembly,  more  firmly 
than  ever,  grinning  defiance  to  the  prohibitions  of 
apostles,  and  the  exhortations  of  us  who  would  fain  be 
their  humble  followers.  And  thus  you,  my  dear  sisters, 
sitting  quietly  by  your  fire-sides,  or  repairing  devoutly 
to  your  places  of  worship,  do,  by  your  example,  spread 
the  poison  of  vanity,  through  all  the  rivers,  and  moun- 
tains, and  wilds  of  this  far  distant  land  ; and  while  you 
are  sincerely  and  fervently  praying  for  the  upbuilding  of 
the  Redeemer’s  kingdom,  are  inadvertently  building  up 
that  of  the  devil.  If  on  the  other  hand,  you  divest  your- 
selves of  all  meretricious  ornaments,  your  sisters  and 


MR.  judson’s  letter.  5 

daughters,  who  come  hither,  will  be  divested  of  course  ; 
— the  further  supplies  of  vanity  and  pride  will  be  cut  off, 
and  the  churches  at  home  being  kept  pure,  the  church- 
es here  will  be  pure  also. 

Dear  iShlers, — Having  finished  my  tale,  and  therein 
exhibited  tbe  necessity  under  which  I lay  of  addressing 
you,  I beg  leave  to  submit  a few  topics  to  your  candid 
and  prayerful  consideration. 

1.  Let  me  appeal  to  conscience,  and  inquire,  what  is 
the  real  motive  for  wearing  ornamental  and  costly  appa- 
rel ? Is  it  not  the  desire  of  setting  off  one’s  person  to 
the  best  advantage,  and  of  exciting  the  love  and  admira- 
tion of  others  ? Is  not  such  dress  calculated  to  gratify 
self-love,  to  cherish  the  sentiments  of  vanity  and  pride? 
And  is  it  not  the  nature  of  those  sentiments  to  acquire 
strength  from  indulgence  ? Do  such  motives  and  sen- 
timents comport  with  the  meek,  humble,  self-denying  re- 
ligion of  Jesus  Christ?  I would  here  respectfully  sug- 
gest, that  these  questions  will  not  be  answered  so  faith- 
fully in  the  miclst  of  company,  as  when  quite  alone 
kneeling  before  God. 

2.  Consider  the  words  of  the  apostle,  quoted  above 
from  1 Tim.  ii.  9 : — “I  will  also  that  women  adorn 
themselves  in  modest  apparel,  with  shamefacedness,,  and 
sobriety,  not  with  broidered  hair,  or  gold,  or  pearls,  or 
cosily  array.”  I.  do  not  quote  a similar  command  re- 
corded in  1 Peter,  iii.  3,  because  the  verbal  construction 
is  not  quite  so  definite,  though  the  impori  of  the  two 
passages  is  the  same.  But  cannot  the  force  of  these 
passages  be  evaded?  Yes,  and  nearly  every  com- 
mand in  Scripture  can  be  evaded,  and  every  doctri- 
nal assertion  perverted,  plausibly  and  handsomely,  if  we 
set  about  it  in  good  earnest.  But  preserving  the  posture 
above  alluded  to,  with  the  inspired  volume  spread  open 
at  the  passage  in  question,  ask  your  hearts  in  simplici- 
ty and  godly  sincerity,  whether  the  meaning  is  not  just 
as  plain,  as  the  sun'  at  noon-day.  Shall  we  then  bow  to 
the  authority  of  an  inspired  apostle,  or  shall  we  not? 
From  that  authority,  shall  we  appeal  to  the  prevailing 
usages  and  fashions  of  the  age?  If  so,  please  to  recall 
the  Missionaries  you  have  sent  to  the  heathen  ; for  the 
heathen  can  vindicate  all  their  superstitions  on  the  same 
ground. 

3.  In  the  posture  you  have  assumed,  look  up  and  be- 
hold the  eye  of  your  benignant  Saviour  ever  gazing  upon 
you,  with  the  tenderest  love, — upon  you,  his  daughters, 
liis  spouse,  wishing  above  all  things  that  you  would 


6 MR.  judson’s  letter. 

yield  your  hearts  entirely  to  him,  and  become  holy  as  he 
is  holy,  rejo'.cin,^  when  he  sees  one  and  another  accept- 
ing his  pressing  invitation,  and  entering  the  more  per- 
fect way ; for,  on  that  account,  he  will  be  able  to  draw 
such  precious  souls  into  a nearer  union  with  himself,  and 
place  them  at  last  in  the  higher  spheres,  where  they  will 
receive  and  reflect  more  copious  communications  of 
light,  from  the  great  fountain  of  light,  the  uncreated  Sun. 

4.  Anticipate  the  happy  moment,  hastening  on  all 
the  wings  of  time,  when  your  joyful  spirits  will  be  wel- 
comed into  the  assembly  of  the  spirits  of  the  just  made 
perfect.  You  appear  before  the  throne  of  Jehovah  5 — the 
approving  smile  of  Jesus  fixes  your  everlasting  happy 
destiny;  and  you  are  plunging  into  “ the  sea  of  life  and 
love  unknown,  without  a bottom  or  a shore.”  Stop  a 
moment; — look  back  on  yonder  dark  and  miserable 
world  that  you  have  left;  fix  your  eye  on  the  meagre, 
vain,  contemptible  articles  of  ornamental  dress,  which 
you  once  hesitated  to  give  up  for  Christ,  the  King  of 
glory;  and  on  that  glance,  decide  the  cjuestion,  instantly 
and  forever. 

Surely  you  ran  hold  out  no  longer.  Y ou  cannot  rise  from 
your  knees,  in  your  present  attire.  Thanks  be  to  God, 
I see  you  taking  off  your  necklaces  and  ear-rings,  tearing 
away  your  ribbons  and  ruffles  and  superfluities  of  head- 
dress ; and  I hear  you  exclaimi  What  shall  we  do  next? 
An  important  question  deserving  serious  consideration. 
The  ornaments  you  are  removing,  though  useless  and 
worse  than  useless,  in  their  present  state,  can  be  so  dis- 
posed of  as  to  feed  the  hungry,  clothe  the  naked,  relieve 
the  sick,  enlighten  the  dark  minded,  disseminate  the 
Holy  Scrij)tures,  spread  the  glorious  Gospel  throughout 
the  woidd.  Little  do  the  inhabitants  of  a free  Christian 
country  know  of  the  want  and  distress,  endured  by  the 
greater  part  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth. — Still  less 
idea  can  they  form  of  the  awful  darkness,  which  rests 
upon  the  great  mass  of  mankind  in  regard  to  spiritual 
things.  During  the  years  that  you  have  been  wearing 
these  useless  ornaments,  how  many  poor  creatures  have 
been  pining  in  v/ant!  How  many  have  languished  and 
groaned  on  beds  of  abject  wretchedness?  How  many 
children  have  been  bred  up  in  the  blackest  ignorance, 
hardened  in  all  manner  of  iniquity  ? How  many  im- 
mortal souls  have  gone  down  to  hell,  with  a lie  in  their 
right  hand,  having  never  heard  of  the  true  God  and  the 
only  Saviour! — Some  of  these  miseries  might  have  been 
mitigated  ; some  poor  wretch  have  felt  his  pain  relieved; 


MR-  judson’s  letter.  7 

Some  widow’s  heart  been  made  to  sing  for  joy;  some 
helpless  orphan  have  been  rescued  from  hardened  depra- 
vity, and  trained  up  for  a happy  life  here  and  hereafter. 
Some,  yea  many  precious  souls  mipfhthave  been  redeem- 
ed from  the  quenchless  fires  of  hell,  where  now  they 
must  lie  and  suffer  to  all  eternity,  had  you  not  been 
afraid  of  being  thought  unfashionable,  and  not  “like 
other  folks  !”  had  you  not  preferred  adorning  your  per- 
sons, and  cherishing  the  sweet  seductive  feelings  of  vani- 
ty and  pride ! 

O Christian  sisters,  believers  in  God,  in  Christ,  in  an 
eternal  heaven  and  an  eternal  hell!  and  can  you  hesitate 
and  ask  what  you  shall  do?  Bedew  those  ornaments  with 
the  tears  of  contrition;  consecrate  them  to  the  cause  of 
charity; — hang  them  on  the  cross  of  your  dying  Lord. 
Delay  not  an  instant.  Hasten,  with  all  your  might,  if  not 
to  make  reparation  for  the  past,  at  least  to  prevent  a con- 
tinuance of  the  evil  in  future.  And  be  not  content  with 
individual  exertion.  Remember  that  union  is  strength. 
Take  an  example  from  the  Temperance  Societies,  which 
are  rising  in  their  might,  and  rescuing  a nation  from  the 
brink  of  destruction. 

Unite,  Christian  sisters,  of  all  denominations,  and  make 
an  effort  to  rescue  the  Church  of  God,  from  the  insidious 
attac  ks  of  an  enemy,  which  is  devouring  her  very  vitals. 
As  a counter  part  to  the  societies  just  mentioned,  may  I 
respectfully  suggest  that  Plain  Press  Societies  be  formed 
in  every  city  and  village  throughout  the  land,  recogniz- 
ing two  fundamental  principles, — the  one  based  on  1 
Tim.  11:  9;  a//  ornaments  and  costly  dress  to  be  disused; 
the  other  on  the  law  of  general  benevolence, — the  avails 
of  such  articles,  and  the  savings  residling  from  the  Plain 
Press  system  to  be  devoted  to  purposes  <f  charity.  Some 
general  rules  in  regard  to  dress,  and  some  general  objects 
of  charity  may  be  easily  ascertained  and  settled.  Minor 
points  must  of  course,  be  left  to  the  conscience  of  each  in- 
dividual. Yet  free  discussion  will  throw  light  on  many 
points  at  first  obscure.  Be  not  deterred  by  the  sugges- 
tion, that  in  such  discussions,  you  are  conversant  about 
small  things.  Great  things  depend  on  small;  and  in  that 
case,  things  which  appear  small  to  short  sighted  man, 
are  great  in  the  sight  of  God.  Many  there  are,  who 
praise  the  principle  of  self-denial  in  general,  and  con- 
demn it  in  all  its  particular  applications,  as  too  minute, 
scrupulous,  and  severe.  Satan  is  well  aware  that  if  he 
can  secure  the  minute  units,  the  sum  total  will  be  his 
own.  Think  not  any  thing  small,  which  may  have  a 


8 MR.  judson’s  letter. 

bearing  upon  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  and  upon  the  desti- 
nies of  eternity.  How  easy  to  conceive,  from  many 
known  events,  that  the  single  fact  of  a lady’s  divesting 
herself  of  a necklace,  for  Christ’s  sake,  may  involve  con- 
sequences, which  shall  be  felt  in  the  remotest  parts  of  the 
earth,  and  in  all  future  generations  to  the  end  of  time;  yea, 
stretch  away  into  a boundless  eternity,  ami  be  a subject  of 
praise,  millions  of  ages,  after  this  world  and  all  its  orna- 
ments are  burnt  up. 

Beware  of  another  suggestion  made  by  weak  and  erring  souls, 
who  will  tell  you,  that  there  is  more  danger  of  being  proud  of 
plain  dress  and  other  modes  of  self-denial,  than  of  fashionable  attire 
and  self-indulgence.  Be  not  ensnared  by  this  last,  most  finished, 
most  insidious  device  ofthe  great  enemy.  Rather  believe,  that  He 
who  enables  you  to  make  a sacrifice,  is  able  to  keep  you  from 
being  proud  of  it.  Believe  that  he  will  kindly  ])ermit  such  occa- 
sions of  mortification  and  shame,  as  will  preserve  you  from  the 
evil  threatened.  The  severesl  part  of  self-r/etilal  consists  in  encoun- 
tering the  disapprobation,  the  envy,  the  hatred  of  one’s  dearest  friends. 
All  who  enter  the  strait  and  narrow  ]3ath  in  good  earnest,  soon 
find  themselves  iu  a climate  extremely  uncongenial  to  the^rowth 
of  pride. 

The  gay  and  fashionable  will,  in  many  cases,  be  the  last  to  en- 
gage in  this  holy  undertaking.  But  let  none  be  discouraged  on 
that  account.  Christ  has  seldom  honoi-ed  the  leaders  of  worldly 
fashion,  by  appointing  them  leaders  in  his  cause.  Fix  it  in  your 
hearts,  that  in  this  warfare,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  expects  every 
woman  to  do  her  duty.'  There  is  probably  not  one  in  the  humblest 
walks  of  life,  but  wouldj  on  strict  examination,  find  some  article, 
which  might  be  dispensed  with,  for  ])urposes  of  charity,  and  ought 
to  be  disjjensed  with,  in  compliance  with  the  apostolic  command. 
Wa'it  not,  therefore,  for  the  i'ashionable  to  .set  an  example;  wait 
not  f.rr  one  another;  listen  not  to  the  news  from  the  next  town; 
but  let  tver^  individual  go  forward,  regardless  of  reproach,  fearless 
of  consequences.  'I'he  eye  of  Christ  is  upon  you.  Death  is  has- 
tening to  strip  you  of  your  ornaments,  and  to  turn  your  fair  forms 
into  corrujitioii’and  dust.  Many  of  those  for  whom  this  letter  is 
designed,  will  be  laid  in  the  grave,  before  it  can  ever  reach  their 
eyes.  V\’e  ^hall  all  soon  appear  before  thejudgment  seat  of  Christ, 
to  be  tried  for  our  conduct,  and  to  receive  the  things  done  in  tjie 
body.  When  placed  before  thatiiwful  bar,  in  the  presence  of  that 
Being,  whose  ej  es  are  as'a  flame  of  fire,  and  whose  irrevocable 
fiat  will  fix  you  for  ever  in  heaven  or  in  hell,  and  mete  out  the 
measure  of  your  everlasting  pleasures  and  pains,  what  course 
will  you  then  wish  you  had  taken?  Will  you  then  wish,  that  in 
defiance  of  his  authority,  you  had  adorned  your  mortal  bodies 
with  gold  and  precious  stones  and  costly  attii-e,  cherishing  self- 
love,  vanity  and  pride  ? Or  will  you  wish,  that  you  had  chosen 
a life  of  self-denial,  renounced  the  world,  taken  up  the  cross  daily 
and  followed  hint?  And  as  you  will  then  wish  you  had  done,  DO 
now.  Dear  Sisters,  your  affectionate  brother  in  Christ, 

Maulmien,  Oct.  1831.  A.  JUDSON. 


